Shock-absorbing rudder



J. V. MARTIN SHOCK BSOHENG RUDDER Filed April 20, 1918 m. [wi i: IH *'1. f/ 4 Patented Aug. 7, 1923. a

TED STATES JAMES V. MARTIN, UF ELYRIA, OHIO.

SHOCK-ABSORBING RUDDER.

Application filed April 20, 1918.

To all 'whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMEs V. MARTIN', a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shockbsorbing Rudders, 0i"V which the follow ing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

rthis invention relates to improvements in aircraft construction and more particu larly to a novel construction and combination of tail skid and rudder whereby structural wind resistance and weight are reduced to the minimum, and the construction greatly simplified by the elimination of controls and ,trussing .It is the object of this invention to attain these and other advantages by a simple, compact and eliicient combination and arrangement of tail skid and rudder, and the invention consists in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference, being had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a side elevation of the tail portion of an aeroplane having a combined rudder and tail skid, illustrative of the invention, and showing portions broken away to more clearly disclose features illustrative of the invention; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged section substantially upon the line lll, 1I of Fig. 1.

Heretofore it has been common practice to yieldingly and pivotally attach the tail skid of an aeroplane directly to the fuselage frame adjacent the rear end thereof, independently of the rudder and provide separate controls for the skid and rudder. rllhe separate mounting of the skid and rudder also necessitates providing separate trussing for each, and each presents a surface to the air currents which increases the wind resistance of the aeroplane.

In the drawing which is merely illustrative of the invention, the tail skid is mounted within the rudder to turn therewith thereby obviating the necessity for separate trussing, or of controls for the skid and reducing head resistance to the minimum, said rudder and skid being stream lined.

As shown in the drawing, A indicates the tail end of the fuselage of an aeroplane and B indicates the usual horizontal tail plane or altitude rudder. On the cxtreme end or Serial No. 229,664.

rear strut of the fuselage are ears or hinge members to be embraced by hinge members Yon the post 2 of the rudder l, said ears being pivot-ally connected by suitable pintles to form hinges or pivots 3 upon which the rudder is adapted to turn about the axis of the rudder post, which post is preferably ot tubular form for strength and lightness. rlhe rudder' 1 is of streamline contour, as shown in cross-section in F ig. 2, with thin side walls 4 and top and bottom walls 5 having convex outer surface-s, thus providingr a hollow structure which is very light yet affords great strength. rlhe leading edge of the rudder is notched so that the top and bottom portions thereof overlap the rear end of the fuselage and the rudder post is located approximately one third the rudder cord length from the leading edge of the rudder. Control cables 12 are attached to lateral arms 13 on the post and lead' forwardly through the fuselage for turning the rudder.` y

Secured within the lower end of the `tubular rudder post 2 in any suitable manner is a pin or stud 6 projecting downward in the rudder body and into a slot 7 cut in the lower wall 5 of the body. In the lower end of the stud 6 is secured a tail skid 8 by "a suitable transverse pivot 9, the skid fitting the slot but having a vfree pivotal or in and out movement in the slot. This skid has a forward end portion extending forwardly and `upwardly within the rudder body and a band of rubber 10 or other suitable resilient member is attached to this forward end of the skid and embraces the stud 6 to yieldingly hold `the skid with the curved rear end portion thereof projected from the slot in a position to engage the ground in alighting.

The tail skid 8 is formed with a faired lower edge and side plates 11 are secured to the' sides thereof and are of such a width that when the skid is in projected position their upper edges lie within the plane of the slot 7 so that said slot is closed by the skid et all times, and the exposed portion of the skid will oifer the minimum of head resistance. These plates also strengthen the skid and provide bearings for the pivot pin 9, they being formed with holes through which the pin extends.

The tail skid is thus carried b j the rudder, turning with it, and thus no separate controls for the skid became necessary. Further, by mounting the irudder and skid upon the same post, the number of posts are reduced to the minimum, the trussing of the fuselage is simplified, and a very compact, strong and rigid structure secured, and at the same time head resistance is reduced by housing the major portion of the skid within the rudder body in such a manner as to close the slot therefor and present a `substantially continuous and streamlined surface. The term' aerofoil as herein understood defines any shape projected through the atmosphere for an aerodynamic reaction.

W'hat I claim is:

1. In an aircraft, the combination of a tail skid and a rudder forming a housing for the tail skid.

2. A tail skid for aeroplanes including a skid block mounted for swinging movement about a transverse axis, means engaging the skid block to yieldingly resist its swinging movement, and a substantially streamlined casing enclosing said last mentioned means, the said casing being steerable laterally about a vertical axis.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination of a rudder plane and shock absorbing means carried thereby, said rudder plane being formed to receive said means.

4. In an aircraft, a rudder comprising a pivoted aerofoil embodying means adapted to yieldingly engage the ground in alighting and forming a component part of the aerofoil.

5.4 In an aeroplane, the combination of a rudder having a slot therein, and a tail skid pivotally connected to the rudder to project from said slot.

- 6. In an aeroplane, the combination of a rudder havin a slot and a tail skid pivotally carried j y the rudder to swing into said slot.

7. In an aeroplane, the combination of a rudder having a slot, and a tail skid adapted to close said slot.

8. In an` aeroplane, the combination of a rudder having an opening, a tail skid carried by the rudder, and means for yieldingly projecting said tail skid from said opening. v

9.. In an aeroplane, the combination of a pivoted rudder having an opening, a tail skid supported in said opening, and means for yieldingly holding said skid projected through the opening.

10. In an aeroplane, the combination of a ivoted rudder having an opening in the ower edge thereof, a tail skid pivotally Supa ported within the rudder and faired to project through the opening, and means `for yieldingly projecting said skid from said opening.

11. In an aeroplane, the combination of a hollow pivoted rudder having a slot in its lower edge surface, a tail skid pivoted to' swing through said slot, said skid being formed to close said slot when said skid is in projected position, and means for yieldingly holding said skid in projected position.

12. In an aeroplane, the combination of a hollow rudder stream-lined in cross-section and provided with a slot in its lower wall, a tail skid fitting within said slot to move in and out therein and having a curved lower edge and being of a vertical width to engage and close the slot when the skid is in projected position, and means for yieldingly project-ing said skid from said slot.

13. In an aeroplane, the combination of a rudder having side walls curved to streamline the rudder and provide a space therein, said rudder having a bottom Wall provided with a slot, a tubular post for the rudder, means for pivotally connecting said post to the fuselage of an aeroplane, a stud secured in the lower end of said tubular post, a tail skid pivoted to said stud within the rudder to swing through said slot, and yielding means for turning said` skid on its pivot to normally hold the same projected through said slot.

14. A tail skid for aeroplanes'comprising a streamlined ground engaging portion yieldably attached. to the aeroplane, a streamlined casing for the said ground engaging portion and means connecting with the pilots position to control the said tail skid to steer the aeroplane on the ground.

15. In an air craft, a vertically disposed rudder plane having spaced walls, and means for yieldingly engaging the earth in alighting adapted to be housed within the space between said-walls at the lower end of the rudder plane.

' 16. A vertical rudder for an airplane, comprising a rudder portion, and an'auxiliary lower rudder portion telescopically engaging with said rudder portion.

17. A vertical rudder for an airplane, cimprising a rudder portion, and an auxiliary lower rudder portion telescopically engaging with said rudder portion, said lower rudder portion further acting as a tail skid.

18. In an aircraft, the combination of a pivotally mounted tail skid and a rudder forming a housing for the tail skid.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

. JAS. V. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

W. F. GUTHMAN, F. J. PEPPER. 

